Mug Shot — «Kuwait - Al-Boom»

City: Kuwait Country: Kuwait Edition: 2008 Icon Edition Belongs to: 475 users (35 trading, 119 seeking)

Kuwait, officially the State of Kuwait is a sovereign Arab state situated in the north-east of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia. It lies on the north-western shore of the Persian Gulf and is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south and Iraq to the north. The name Kuwait is derived from the Arabic ākwāt meaning "fortress built near water". The country covers an area of 17,820 square kilometers and has a population of about 3.5 million. Historically, the region was the site of Characene, a major Parthian port for trade between Mesopotamia and India. The Bani Utbah tribe were the first permanent Arab settlers in the region, laying the foundation for the modern emirate. By the 19th century, Kuwait came under the influence of the Ottoman Empire. After World War I, it emerged as an independent sheikhdom under the protection of the British Empire. Kuwait's large oil fields were discovered in the late 1930s. After Kuwait gained independence from the United Kingdom in 1961, the state's oil industry saw unprecedented economic growth. In 1990, Kuwait was invaded and annexed by neighboring Iraq. The seven month-long Iraqi occupation came to an end after a direct military intervention by United States-led forces. Around 773 Kuwaiti oil wells were set ablaze by the retreating Iraqi army, resulting in a major environmental and economic catastrophe. Kuwait's infrastructure was badly damaged during the war and had to be rebuilt. Kuwait is a constitutional emirate with a parliamentary system of government. Kuwait City serves as the country's political and economic capital. The country has the world's fifth largest oil reserves and petroleum products now account for nearly 95% of export revenues and 80% of government income. Kuwait is the eleventh richest country in the world per capita and is classified as a high income economy by the World Bank and is designated as a major non-NATO ally of the United States.

Al boom, known as dhangi in India, is a medium-sized deep-sea dhow, a traditional Arabic sailing vessel. This type of dhow has two masts with lateen sails. a stern that is tapering in shape and a more symmetrical overall structure than other dhow types. The Arab boom has a very high prow, which is trimmed in the Indian version. The boom replaced the heavier baghlahs and ghanjahs which were more difficult to maneuver. Booms were mainly built in Beypore, Konkan and Gujarat, India, and Kuwait and are primarily used along the coasts of the Arabian Peninsula, Sindh, the west coast of the Indian Subcontinent, and East Africa. Nowadays some booms have been converted into motorboats after being fitted with engines instead of sails, especially in the Gulf area. A boom in full sail is represented in the Emblem of Kuwait, emphasizing its traditional importance in the country, where it was used to carry fresh water and in the pearl industry, as well as a trading ship.

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edited by mobydick74

  Kuwait

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